


His son

by PinotPurple



Series: Cowards Collective inspired aus [1]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Attempted Murder, Emotional Manipulation, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, My First Fanfic, elias catches feelings and jon has a bad time as usual, elias dad au, elias raises jon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 06:33:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20792198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinotPurple/pseuds/PinotPurple
Summary: An au in which Elias raises Jon, thanks to the cowards collective server's collective imagination 💕✳️ It started out fun and crack-y and it ended up angsty. Oh well. We all came up with ideas and I gathered them in a fic, please enjoy!





	His son

**Author's Note:**

> I posted it first on my tumblr: https://mauvemyheart.tumblr.com/post/187978463099/

The Desolation was a bunch of fools, but there was one time when they had quite an interesting idea.

When Elias held him for the first time, he was so tiny. So fragile. He was mumbling in his own little language, tiny blue eyes looking up at him and around him, taking everything in, experiencing everything for the very first time. It was impossible not to feel endeared. That is what Elias told himself. That’s how babies are hardwired, to look cute and make you want to care for them.

And that was what he was going to do. He was going to care for him, raise him to be an avatar of the Beholding, the perfect Archivist, the wearer of the crown. No more picking Archivists off the streets, no more personal beliefs and agendas, no more human error. He was going to ensure everything himself. And his Archivist’s name was going to be Jonathan.

*

Jon was more than cute. People say all babies are cute, but Jon actually was. His face was round and his cheeks were chubby. His eyes turned out dark, chocolate-y brown, and he had long eyelashes. His hair was also brown and he had a few perfect little ringlets.

He was a very quiet baby. Elias expected histerics every hour of the night, but Jon was too small for that yet. When he cried for food, it had no pathos. It sounded like Jon himself didn’t like crying, didn’t want to do it, but had announce he was hungry somehow. No worry, he was going to realise soon enough that crying got him what he wanted.

Elias found himself spoiling him from early on. He spent more than he planned on clothes, little overalls, colourful socks, pretty shoes, little jackets that would fit him for one year at best and were a total waste. He was so cute, though. He couldn’t stop taking pictures of him. He filled two albums with only the first year. He told himself it was normal, Jon was a very cute baby.

Jon was adorable. He was so expressive, or rather, he wasn’t. Elias would play with him, try to get a reaction, and Jon would stare at him with little brown eyes and his grumpy little face. When Jon didn’t like something, like the sun being in his face, he’d make the beginning of a cry, a grumpy dignified cough to announce he was not happy.

He would fall asleep on Elias while they sat on the couch. He would rest his little head on his chest, little ear against his heart, and doze off. Elias’ heart would be so full of love and peace he would forget to tell himself off for feeling it.

*

Jon grew everyday and his personality surfaced soon enough. He was a little shit. Like father, like son. Elias made it clear early on that throwing tantrums and screaming until the windows broke wouldn’t get him anywhere, so Jon became sneaky instead. The boy’s wit both shocked and impressed him.

What made Elias the happiest was Jon’s curiosity. He constantly asked questions, and Elias answered them or led him to the answer. From why is the sky blue to why is that spider allowed to live in the corner of their living room. He loved books and demanded to be read to until Elias taught him how to read at age 4. He picked up so quickly! With Elias’ funds, there was no problem in supplying him with reading material, within what was appropiate. But a more ghoulish or gorey story would still sometimes “accidentaly” end up in Jon’s grubby little hands. Jon would get scared and not be able to sleep, only to do it again the next day, loudly protesting giving his book away. His favourite cartoon was Courage the Cowardly Dog.

Jon’s powers surfaced for the first time when he was 7. Peter Lukas was paying them a visit. Elias might have not hold his tongue in the presence of Jon and might have bitched about Peter to him, Jon forming an opinion before even meeting the man.

After the usual conversation and bickering, the men heard the door open. Elias couldn’t stop himself from smiling as Jon trotted in and raised his arms at him to be picked up, like the spoiled brat he was. After Jon was set in his lap, Peter smiled too and tried to talk to the boy. After a few questions back and forth, Jon, quite bluntly and rudely, asked Peter “Why are you so weird?”

Elias made to laugh and his mouth remained open in shock as Peter began to pour out his life story to the little boy. His childhood at the Lukas estate, his home-schooling, the Lonely, the Forsaken, his career on the Tundra. When he finished, Peter stared at the little boy with fear. The corners of Elias’ mouth turned up in an amazed grin.

*

Elias wanted Jon to be happy. He told himself that it was so to make Jon trust him. Jon was going to live a happy life with no regrets that would hold him back from his destiny.

From a young age he visited the Magnus Institute, his future castle. The staff immediatly fell in love with him, to Elias’ delight (easier to have them follow him in the future). Jon loved the institute so much. So many new people, so many books and papers, so many old and strange trinkets, so many new _stories_.

The Archivist, Gertrude Robinson, smiled to him like a kind grandmother when they met, but would shoot a glare at Bouchard when his son was once _again_ running free through the archives. Elias would smile his sly, knowing smile and then dash to stop Jon from entering artifact storage. Jon became an unnoficial apprentice and intern. Elias and a reluctant Gertrude gradually taught him about the 14 fears. The assistants would give him milder statements and Jon would make connections and recognize patterns all by himself. Elias was so proud.

As expected, when puberty and teenage arrived, all the riches and stories in the world couldn’t keep Jon happy. He became distant from his dad, refusing hugs. Elias felt hurt despite himself.

Jon, who grew up mostly solitary and in very well-behaved environments, had to learn to deal with classmates and teachers of all kinds. He loved learning, but he hated school. He focused on studying while waiting to graduate, for it be over, and reading and going to the Archives as an escape from the noise and the bullies. He took up the facade of a stiff and aloof loner, happier with his books than with people.

But Jon was human, no matter how hard he and Elias tried. More than once he found Jon on his bed, clutching a pillow and trying to hide his sobs. It took some prying - not compelling - but with patience, Jon would tell him his fears and worries. Jon felt like an outsider, like a failure. The other kids had no problem talking to others, talking out-loud, making friends. The others didn’t know about the Fears - they didn’t even like horror, they called him a creep and a weirdo. He didn’t have friends and the ones he had were assholes that he interracted with out of fear of being completely isolated. The teachers were pieces of shit that shouted until his head hurt, made him feel like an idiot and mistreated not just him, but everyone, for no reason. They were hellbent on finding out what they didn’t know and punishing them for it, not teaching them what they needed. He didn’t have a crush on anyone, girl _or_ boy, never had, never felt attracted to anyone, never dated, never even kissed, he was never going to at this rate, he was going to die alone like the loner loser he was.

Upon seeing Jon cry, Elias’ heart hurt in a way he didn’t know it was capable of. He comforted and reassured him as best as he could, always framing it in the sense of his destiny. He had to be in school for now, but he would soon graduate and not have to worry about it anymore. He could have a very happy and fulfilling life without a partner, even moreso than those who are married. His knowledge of the Dread powers was a blessing.

*

Elias supported Jon and gave him freedom, again, to make him happy and trust him. Jon could do whatever, could be whatever, like whatever, love whomever, as long as he followed his destiny.

He became an official intern at the Institute in high school. Jon was moody and grumpier than ever and Gertrude’s influence was visible. It would have been funny if it weren’t Elias who had to bail out Jon on the conviction of arson and breaking into abandonned houses. Goodness, Jon, at least _try_ to hide your crimes. At least he made a friend, Elias thought, a brave girl and a fan of the paranormal named Georgina Barker. They were planning on going to the same college together.

Jon was smart. He was impulsive and hotheaded, but he wasn’t stupid. He noticed many things. He saw Mr. Delano never coming back, he saw Michael Shelley and the other assistants never coming back. He saw terrifying beings come to the institute and look at Gertrude with fear. He heard the static on the tape recordings when certain people spoke.

He was careful to stay quiet, until a realisation hit him. Gertrude was going through a rough time after stopping a ritual (Jon found her so badass for that) and she took to looking for statements rather than waiting for someone from the public to show up. One of those people came to the institute and cried about what happened to them, how that old woman forced his story out of him and now she kept appearing in his dreams, forcing him to relive his trauma again and again for her watch. Jon felt his stomach drop. He couldn’t stay quiet anymore.

That was his first confrontation with his father. Elias saw it coming.

“This is wrong!” Jon said “What we’re doing is wrong! This - this place is evil! We’re no better than the other powers! We’re _monsters_!”

Elias let him speak, exhaust himself. Jon held his own head as he paced around the office, his whole world collapsing. Elias opened his mouth to talk, but Jon left, unable to look at him at that moment.

Elias stood very quiet. His mind raced as to what to do. This was the last thing he wanted. He had so much faith in Jon. Jon had been behaving so well so far that he didn’t actually prepare a plan in the case of such a thing. He tried to remain calm, but the darkest scenarios and outcomes came to mind first. Jon would refuse to become the Archivist. He would ruin his plans, his centuries-in-the-making plans. All would have been for _nothing_, just like hiring Gertrude who now wanted to destroy the Archives. He’d destroy his plans and she’s destroy the institute.

Was this Gertrude’s plan? She knew how to hide herself from him, was she hiding Jon too? Did she poison Jon’s mind? Was she going to sacrifice him, his _own son_ of all people, to stop the Watcher’s Crown?

Elias held onto his desk for support, the other shivering hand covering his mouth as his eyes darted across the office.

*

He came home very late, until he made sure Jon was fast asleep. He was hugging the pillow and the blanket was sprawled over him. His mouth was ajar and his cheek was mushed against the pillow, like when he was a baby.

Elias stood in front of the bed, knife in hand. Why was he hesitating?

Moonlight filtered through the open curtains and he saw goosebumps form on Jon’s arm. He woke up with a start and looked around himself. When he saw his father, Jon shot up as if burnt. He pushed himself to the other side of the bed, but his back met the wall it was against.

Jon’s entire body was shaking from how hard his heart was beating. He stared at Elias, anticipating the worst, already seeing the knife being plunged in him. He knew what Gertrude was doing to her assitants and he knew what his father was capable of. He just never in his worst nightmares thought he’d ever be a victim of his.

Elias wasn’t moving. He was still, staring at Jon, eyes burning into him. He wanted to do somehting, say something, but didn’t seem to be able to move. Jon, petrified, did nothing but stare back, his mind racing, full of scared and genuine “_why why why why why why_”. His brown eyes were wide in terror.

Something suddenly snapped when Elias focused on those eyes. His eyebrows twisted and he began to tremble. He let out a sob as he let go of the knife and it hit the floor. His chest felt like it was the one bleeding and his stomach felt hollow.

Jon was suddenly pulled into his arms. He hit his chin against his shoulder. Elias held him fast, a hand on his back and the other in his hair, crushing him against him. Jon tried to pull away, to breathe, but Elias held him even tighter. He was heaving, shaking from his core. Jon felt the side of his head and his shoulder be soaked with tears. He couldn’t remember ever seeing his father cry before. His mind was going thousands of miles per hour, he could barely hear from the blood pounding in his ears. Elias’ babbled and frantic apologies sounded like nonsense.

He didn’t know how long they sat like that. Elias calmed down, but he remained with Jon in his arms.

At some point he pulled Jon to lie back down. Jon rested his head on Elias’ chest. His breathing was even but his heart was still beating fast. Elias moved the hand in his hair to his face, cupping his cheek and making Jon close his eyes, while the other one rubbed his back. Jon felt a kiss on the top of his head.

“I love you so much, Jon.” He mumbled into his hair, voice hoarse from crying. “Dad loves you so much. I’m so sorry, so sorry. You scared me so badly today, I-…” He sighed shakily. “I love you. You’re my son, you’re my everything. I will do anything for you. Please don’t scare me like that again. Please, Jon, please. You are so important. We are so close, closer than ever before. Please.”

Elias felt Jon’s eyelashes against his palm as he opened his eyes and felt Jon’s forehead move as his eyebrows furrowed. Jon was looking at the knife discarded on the floor while his father pleaded with him.

*

“Well, look who’s back!” Gertrude Robinson greeted him.

Jon returned from college and got a job at the institute straight out of it. He bit his tongue and didn’t ask her where Gerry was.

Elias was all smiles since Jon returned. He was beaming.

He called Jon to his office and was careful to let him know what was going to happen next, what position he was going to take over. Jon wasn’t surprised one bit. He asked what weapon he was going to do it with. Elias smiled wider.

He got up from his desk, walked around it and hugged his son. Jon tensed when he felt the hand on the back of his head pulling him against his shoulder, but hugged him back.

“I’m so proud of you, Jon.” Elias said “I love you.”

“… I love you too.”

“You hesitated.”

“I did not.” Jon said dryly.

Elias chuckled, rubbing his back one more time before letting him go. His heart ached. It was never the same after that day. He loved Jon and Jon loved his father, but he became wary of him. Jon didn’t trust him anymore. As the head of the institute, he was used to that, but as a father, it hurt. Elias was concerned about letting go to a college where he couldn’t watch him in person, but restricting his freedom would have surely made it worse. And Jon came back.

It was alright. All would be alright. His plans are finally coming together. He will finally make it. His beloved prince will wear the crown. He was so powerful already. Gertrude was no obstacle anymore. Jon even got his eye (hah) on three very good assistants. It was perfect. Nothing could go wrong anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for reading!! :***


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